1. AP EURO Unit #6 – Early 20th Century (The World Wars) Lesson #604 Russian Revolution

2. Essential Questions What caused the Russian Revolution?
What mistake did the Provisional Government make that led to their demise?

4. Modern Russia Nicholas has been feverishly working to
Modernize Russia
Spark some national pride
Where did he fail?
Why will this matter going into WWI?
Most Russians still oppressed… farmers and now workers
Nicholas mobilized full 5 million Russian troops to win back pride
4m Bio

5. The end of WWI for the Russians
Russian mobilization was FAST
They dominated the Austrians, but no match for Germans
Russians were pulverized
2,000,000 dead in just the first year
Nicholas took command of front line
Russians forced into retreat
Army Order #1 – voting on orders!
Total chaos in the ranks – mass desertions
Humiliated, the Czar abdicated
Russia plummeted into a civil war
1m Summary

6. How did this all happen?
Nicholas was a family man, and the last great divine right monarch
The wealthiest man in the world
He held a secret: the heir the throne (Alexia) was a hemophiliac
Why is this going to create a problem?
Alexandra (his wife) trusted Rasputin to heal Alexia
Rasputin was a cracked nut (more info on next slide)
As Russian losses mounted in WWI, Rasputin suggested Russia pull out, or Nicholas join the fight
Nicholas left his wife in charge, and went to lead the Russian army – Why would he do this?
Rasputin then used his degenerate charms to spin the Russian government into chaos
Discontent and starvation let to mutiny

7. Influence of Rasputin The war was becoming a disaster
Strikes and riots led to inconsistent industry
Bullets had to be rationed: 3/day
Nicholas tried to inspire the army
Instead, in his absence, Rasputin had free reign of the palaces and access to government
Rasputin was a self-proclaimed holy man
Now, he was a government leader
He fired good ministers, and hired sycophants
Trust in the monarchy collapsed
6m Bio

8. Bless you, my child

12. 45m Bio

13. Demise of Rasputin
Two princes of the royal family conspired to murder Rasputin
Rasputin predicted that if he was killed, Russia would not survive… and…
He predicted if he was killed by a member of the royal family, that the Romanovs would be utterly destroyed, and all that was Russia would be eliminated.
Rasputin was murdered by those princes
And, the damage he did was done
Russia would surely suffer, as would the royal family
Oh, and he was “very” killed
6m Bio
7m prophesies of Rasputin

14. TWO Revolutions in Russia
February Revolution (March, 1917)
Czar abdicated
Kerensky duma took over (Provisional Government)
Promised to win the war – Why?!
Why will this be a big mistake?
October Revolution (Nov. 1917)
Lenin transported from exile by Germans
Soviets spontaneously formed (Workers and soldiers)
Bolsheviks wanted to violently overthrow the government
Lenin led Bolsheviks
7m Feb Revolution

15. Lenin’s Government
Land, factories and banks were to be nationalized – given to “the people”
The war was ended at any cost
LAND! PEACE! BREAD!
Treaty of Brest Litovsk – March 1918
Surrender of best farmland
War Communism – excuse of Communists (new name for Bolsheviks) to take all wealth
Civil War raged on – Lenin’s “Reds” were winning, but needed more food
Peasants forced to surrender their new land and food to the Communist cause

16. New Economic Policy Lenin’s government growing unpopular
He issued a new plan: to tolerate some minor private enterprise
Peasants could farm for a profit
Small businesses could sell on free market
What do you think was the result? Why?
Millions still died – Americans sent aid
Lenin went and died in 1924 (stroke in 1922)
What will happen next?

17. Battle between Stalin and Trotsky
Lenin’s death created a power vacuum
Trotsky had led much of Lenin’s plans
But Trotsky was arrogant and idealistic
Stalin was the Secretary of the Party
That meant he had the power to fire and hire all members of the inner circle
Stalin worked for years to gather a following
By 1927, he struck – banned Trotsky from government, then the party, then the country
And then…

19. What ever happened to Nicholas?
His days were numbered as soon as he abdicated
He planned to escaped to Britain or Belgium
Problem: nobody would take him
He was moved to a remote house in Siberia
There, he and his whole family were executed
Why would they do that?!
What did they have that could help the escape?
2) 3m Bio on Nich
1) 7m Indian Nydel on Nich II
3) 3m Execution